A/N: Hey peeps! Thanks for the reviews. Questions concerning the relationship between Knives and Jewel are answered in this chapter. The next couple of chappies will be up slowly, because I have to work on my novel and my school stuff…
Disclaimer: *Gene pops up* Gene: My babe does not own Trigun, but she does own Jewel the Inferno, Shani, Yanako the Bulls-Eye, and Xenobia the Demoness. *Jewel glomps him*
Jewel: Thank you my precious, beloved Gene
Gene: If I'm your precious, beloved, then why did you write a fic that features you and Vash?
Jewel: The fic with you and my other alter-ego shall be posted soon, love! Now onto the fic!
Part 5
Yanako the Bulls-eye
"Bring her to me," was the only command given to Yanako and he would do anything in his power to complete this task.
Yanako was a natural-born Arcadian. He was admired by everyone, loved by everyone, and respected by everyone. When they saw him, ladies swooned, men tipped their hats, and children ran to him in greeting.
So when he ended up as a Gung-Ho-Gun, he had surprised himself. He had only been working for Knives for about a month, but it was still enough time to let the weight of his sin crush his soul. But once his new mission was complete, Knives would allow him to leave on the condition that he would never come back.
Yanako instantly agreed and thus, took his mission. His mission to bring back the girl plant, the girl who could help Knives rid the planet of its human scum… the legendary, Jewel the Inferno.
Yanako wouldn't need to run after her. Apparently, Knives had a plan to lure her into Arcadia… and it worked.
Yanako glanced at the photo of Jewel that Knives had given him. "We'll meet… and I'll be the victor in our quick-draw. Then, you'll have no choice… you will belong to Knives soon enough… and I'll be free…"
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"Vash, will you stop doing that?" Jewel asked. Vash was trying to amuse himself by trying to annoy Jewel, and apparently, it was working. He had been poking her in the back and pulling lightly on her hair for the last ten minutes.
"Why?" he asked innocently.
"Because if you don't… uh… I'm gonna' eat all the donuts!" she said.
"No! Not my precious pastries!"
"Then stop." Vash stopped his actions.
"I'm sorry!" he said with a frown and glittery eyes.
"All is forgiven dear donut lover." Vash smiled.
"I'm your dear?" he asked hopefully. Jewel smacked him on the back of his head.
"You wish," she said with a flip of her hair. Vash snapped his fingers in disappointment.
"Darn."
Jewel looked out the window. The first part of the contest had already been completed, and the two outlaws were waiting for the results. A young man entered the room.
"Our winners for the preliminary rounds…
Jewel the Inferno with 100/100 targets…
Yanako the Bulls-eye with 99/100 targets…
Vash the Stampede with 90/100 targets… Linz with 84/100 targets…
Krevan with 79/100 targets…
Tra with 70/100 targets…
Rathan with 68/100
And Xenobia the Demoness with 65/100 targets…
All winners of the preliminary should report the office first thing tomorrow for further instructions and tomorrows line-up."
"Looks like he's got two Gun-Ho-Guns, Yanako the Bulls-Eye, and that wench, Xenobia the Demoness."
"You know her?" Vash questioned.
"Know her? Unfortunately, yes. She's a total slut. Mini skirt, tube top, fish net, high heels, the whole shebang… she's also really annoying."
"What about that other guy?"
"Yanako the Bulls-Eye? Must be a knew recruit, my guess is that Knives has got dirt on him and he's here under blackmail."
"You seem to know a lot about my brother…" Vash asked suspiciously.
"Don't remind me."
"Jewel…"
"Vash, let's not talk about it and go join that drinking contest," Jewel suggested. Vash looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I don't know, the contest is tomorrow. I don't wanna' get a hangover…"
"Suit yourself, I'll see ya' later."
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About four and a half hours later, Jewel arrived at the hotel, drunk as an empty glass. The second she got in the room, she threw her arms around Vash.
"Heya' Vashy! Howzit goin's?" she asked as tightened her grip around his neck.
"Uh, Jewel, how many shots did you have?" Vash asked, becoming aware of the tightness in his pants.
"Jusht 37, why do ya ashk?" she replied.
Vash gulped and pushed Jewel away.
"Hey!" she protested.
"Don't even think about it, your flat-out drunk," he replied.
"No I'm not, I'm shober," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Say the alphabet backwards."
"Uh, Z… Y… um… V?" she questioned tentatively.
"Well, that proves it. You're drunk." Vash then got an idea and decided to ask the question tugging at the back of his mind. "Jewel, what happened between you and my brother?" he asked.
Jewel looked away. "I don't know if I should shay anyshing…" she replied softly. Vash put a palm to her face.
"It would be better to get it out of your system."
Jewel sighed and leaned over, whispering the answer in his ear. Vash eyes grew wide and he pulled Jewel away from his face.
"You mean he… he…"
Jewel's eyes began to tear up. "He raped me…" she said, her voice barely audible.
Vash clutched her to his chest. She began to cry.
"Vash… am I going to have to say it again?" she asked as she hugged him back.
"Of course not, but later you'll feel better because you got all of that out of your system…" he told her. ~I can't believe it… I knew Knives was unstable, but unstable enough to… to rape Jewel?~ Vash thought to himself as Jewels cries grew softer.
Vash sat on the bed and placed Jewel on his lap. She soon fell asleep.
He laid her on the bed and began to walk to his bed.
"Don't leave me Vash," Jewel's timid voice came from the bed.
Vash turned around, laid himself next to her, and held her tightly. "Just until you fall asleep," he said as he breathed in her scent. Her arms circled his neck and pulled his face down to her chest.
His face turned the color of his coat. "Uh… Jewel…"
But she had already fallen asleep.
'I feel like a weight has been lifted from my soul,' Jewel though, unknowingly to herself.
"Oh my head, what time is it?" Jewel asked herself as she rubbed her forehead. Then she eyed Vash's head… using her breasts as a pillow…
~Oh crap, she's awake. Please, in the name of Love and Peace, don't let her kill me~ Vash thought to himself as he heard Jewel talk to herself.
"Vash, are you awake?" Jewel asked the blonde outlaw. He groaned convincingly.
"I'll take that as a no," Jewel sighed. She carefully moved apart from Vash and headed to her suitcase.
Turning her back to Vash, she got dressed in her usual black tank top, black shorts, red vest, and huge boots. Then she went to the dresser mirror to put her hair in a ponytail. She sat on the bed next to Vash and placed a palm to his cheek.
"So innocent, child-like even," she said aloud.
Vash shifted his lips to her palm and kissed it. She blushed a deep crimson.
"Good morning," Vash said, placing his hand over the one on his face.
"Uh, G… Good morning," Jewel said, trying to regain her composure.
Vash sat up. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
She out a hand to her head. "Groggy and…" she stopped, mid-sentence and ran to the bathroom.
After she was done spilling her guts, she entered the room again.
"I wasn't too drunk, was I?" she asked Vash, clutching her stomach.
"You want to know the truth?" he asked. She nodded.
"You were drunk enough to tell me what happened between you and Knives," he said. She went silent.
"I shouldn't have asked." Then she clutched her stomach again and ran to the bathroom.
"Are you gonna' come with me to check the line-up?" he asked as she wiped her mouth with a towel.
"Yeah, just give me a sec."
"The tiny print at the bottom of the paper says that we should check with a lawyer to complete our wills…"
"That's encouraging," Jewel said with a sardonic smile.
"Yeah, tell me about it," Vash agreed.
"Well, it's a good thing I don't have any large amounts of money or anything like that, it saves me the hassle," Jewel said, testing Vash's alertness.
"Yeah…"
"Vash, you idiot. Get your mind out of the gutter, you're not listening to a word I say!" she said as she smacked him on the back of his head.
He remained silent.
"Vash, the silence is deafening. What's wrong?" she asked.
"Jewel, it's just that. You and Knives…"
Jewel placed a finger over his mouth. "I'm over that… I think. After telling you about it, I'm relieved. It's nice to know that someone knows the whole story," she said with a smile. She moved her finger and struck the copyrighted Love and Peace pose. "Don't worry about me!"
"Are you sure?" Vash asked,
"Positive."
The young man from the day before entered the room. "Round One will begin in three hours, but all contestants should be present," he said.
Another young man entered the room. He had black hair, emerald green eyes, and stood the same height as Jewel, just two inches shorter than Vash.
Jewel gasped slightly. Something about him seemed both familiar and appealing.
"Long time no see, Jewel the Inferno," he said with a smirk.
He approached her and pressed his lips firmly against hers.
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A/N: Dun dun dun dun…
Prayne: Onee'chan! It's rude to leave people hanging like that!
Katana: I agree
Ryine: Baka! You forgot to mention me in your bio thingy…
Jewel: Ah, sorry for the cliffy, but y'all have to wait!
Tasuki: Come on Katana, let's forget about the fic and go light things on fire!
Katana: Yay!
Chichiri: Prayne, don't forget about our date!
Prayne: How could I forget, Ri-chan?!
Ryine: Gohan's late again.
Jewel: Aiyaa…